Detroit high school collects 800 cases of water for Flint

A picture posted Friday on the Cass Tech Alumni Facebook page says "The donations are still coming in."

Credit Cass Tech Alumni Association

As a counselor at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Monica Jones knows this hasn't been the happiest couple of weeks at Detroit Public Schools.

Between teacher sickouts to draw attention to unsustainable teaching and learning conditions, more news about just how terrible the district's finances are, and scathing criticism from Lansing aimed at DPS teachers, "there's like an ugly air, like an ugly funk going on," Jones says. “So we wanted to do something positive. There’s too much negativity out there, and all that negativity weighs you down.”

"We are holding a water drive at Cass Tech as an act of love and support for the city of Flint. Although as educators we have concerns, one thing we do not lack is our basic needs. In the midst of what may be viewed negatively, let's put a positive spin on this to help our fellow man."

The same post noted “Steve from Steve’s Soul food” would be donating his 18-wheeler to drive the donations up to a church in Flint.

And immediately, the response was overwhelming, Jones says. “I never put a number on it, because initially it started with, we have approximately 100 people on staff, and if everyone brought a case of bottled water, well, that’s 100 cases.

"And then the students started saying, ‘Well, we want to do something, too.’ So they started bringing in cases of water, and then the parents said, ‘We want to get involved too.’ And the alumni, they’re bringing in five, six, seven, eight cases.”

Soon, Jones says the UAW, a couple local companies, and at least four other schools – including Dixon, Osborn, Cody and West Side Academy – had dropped off water as well.

By the time Friday rolled around, Jones says they’d collected 800 cases of water. There was so much, they had to make two separate trips up to Flint.

“We don’t know what we started. There is no limit. I’m a little scared, but it’s a good scared!” Jones laughs.

This Week in Michigan Politics, Jack Lessenberry talks about the Flint water crisis: how Flint is getting help at the federal level, when Governor Snyder first knew about the water problem and how this crisis has hurt him politically. Lessenberry also talks about why teachers at the Detroit Public Schools are protesting many issues by staging "sickouts."

Gov. Rick Snyder is adding his voice to those calling for an end to teacher “sickout” protests in the state’s largest school district.

Dozens of Detroit public school buildings have closed this week with teachers staying home, and several more have been forced to close in recent weeks.

Snyder hopes teachers will find other ways to protest state control of Michigan’s largest district, health and safety issues in classrooms, and other problems. He says there are other avenues to call attention to those issues that don’t hurt students.

Republican state lawmakers are looking into legislation meant to prevent teacher “sickouts” like the ones that closed about 60 Detroit schools on Monday.

Teachers in the state’s largest district say it’s their only way to protest problems in the district – from state control to overcrowded classrooms – because teacher strikes are banned under state law.

“I couldn’t be any more disappointed,” said state Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Twp., who chairs the Senate Education Committee.